Hall-of-Fame Big Man Tabbed as Rockets' Greatest Second Option

Houston has had some memorable sidekicks in its franchise's history, but one center from the 1980s stood out above the rest, literally and figuratively.

Nov 1985; Unknown location, USA; Houston Rockets center Ralph Sampson in action during the 1985 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

There have been plenty of exciting Houston Rockets playoff games throughout the franchise's history. Maybe not from a championship or winning standpoint, but purely from a basketball perspective, the Rockets have had some fun duos over the last half-century.

Houston's array of second options has been Hall of Fame-caliber. You could go a little more recent with Chris Paul initiating James Harden's offense, or Yao Ming bruising down low in the limited number of games he played alongside Tracy McGrady.

You could go a little more old school as well. Hakeem Olajuwon had a few sidekicks, including Clyde Drexler during Houston's championship run in 1995. You could also go with a pure great in Charles Barkley, although that was the latter part of both players' careers.

However, Bleacher Report's Lee Escobedo believes Ralph Sampson, the Hall-of-Fame big man out of Virginia, is the franchise's greatest second option.

"His postseason résumé in Houston's rise underscored his versatility. In his first playoff run, 1985, he logged 38.6 minutes per game, averaging 21.2 points and 16.6 rebounds at 24 years old," Escobedo wrote.

"The following year, as Houston stormed to the Finals, he elevated his efficiency, shooting 51.8 percent from the field while averaging 20.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists over 20 playoff games."

Sampson put up 19.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in his five seasons as a Rocket. His peak came as early as it could have, during his first two seasons in the NBA. From 1983 to 1985, the 7-foot-4 center averaged 21.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, taking home the 1984 Rookie of the Year award.

Sampson's career was derailed due to injuries, as he failed to play over 26 games in a season from ages 29 to 31. Hakeem Olajuwon's arrival in 1984 gave the Rockets a legitimate franchise cornerstone and one of the greatest players in NBA history, but Sampson took a backseat almost immediately after he burst onto the scene.

In terms of his potential, Sampson's career was a bit underwhelming. But he was a force to be reckoned with in the early 1980s, and even helped get Houston to the 1986 NBA Finals, where the Rockets would lose to the 67-15 Boston Celtics, one of the greatest teams in league history.

Sampson's NBA tenure may have been slightly disappointing, but he will always be remembered as the towering big man alongside Olajuwon in Houston's early rise to contention.